While the State and general Government were thus employed in
grappling with those serious disturbances, it was natural that public
attention should be attracted to the great State of New York, to mark
what effect the revolutionary proceedings of the strikers would
produce in that quarter. The hands employed at Hornellsville, on the
Erie Railroads, had struck, and taken up arms in defiance of law.
Governor Robinson, by proclamation, warned all persons engaged in the
violation of law to desist therefrom, and offered a reward of five
hundred dollars, to be paid upon the arrest and conviction of each and
every striker found guilty of a breach of the law. Syracuse, Buffalo,
and other cities and towns were deeply agitated by the unlawful work
of the strikers.

It was at this crisis that an event occurred in the city of New
York, which, for weal or woe, was destined to prove of far-reaching
importance. This city was regarded as the pivotal point of the strike;
as New York went so went the victory or defeat. It caused, therefore,
serious alarm throughout the State when it was announced that a mass
meeting was called to take place in Tompkins Square, under the
auspices of Socialistic leaders, and, of course, in sympathy with the
strikers. This action was regarded by the city authorities, and
properly so, as being fraught with the possibilities of great danger
to the peace and welfare of the State and entire country. The rioters
had at this stage been checked in the several centres which they had
selected as their strongholds. They had hoped to regain lost ground by
making a diversion on this city, where the elements of popular
disorder are but too numerous. With New York strikes and their
sympathizers up in arms, an impetus would have been given to the
cause, which, in the inflamed and strained condition of the temper of
the masses, would have been extremely difficult to stamp out, and what
untold tales of horrors and atrocities might have resulted as the
natural product of such a conflict! This truly was one of those public
critical emergencies where an ounce of Police prevention was better
than a pound of military cure. It was a very trying and anxious moment
for New York City, and it is not much of an exaggeration or an abuse
of a figure of speech to say that her fate trembled in the balance.

The Police, true to their history, were not unmindful of the
gravity of the situation. By their prompt and energetic measures the
advancing tread of the strikers was brought to a halt before they had
time to marshal their forces or fall into line. A morning paper, in
three words, summed up the situation: "NEW YORK SAYS STOP!"
the same paper says: "The thorough and magnificent preparations
made by the National guard of the First Division and the New York
Police have checked the threatened disorder in this city at the
outset, and left nothing whereon t hand to-day any fear or expectation
of outbreak here."

The Board of Police, by reason of disturbances and riots in other
cities of the State, and the apprehensions of similar disorders,
taking place in this city, demanded the assistance of the Seventh,
Twenty-second, Eighth, and Seventy-first Regiments, which demand was
approved by the Mayor. The regiments named were "accordingly
assembled in their respective armories, equipped for service, armed
with breech-loaders, and each supplied with forty rounds of ammunition
per man, and directed to hold themselves in readiness to
respond--until further orders--to any demand which might be made upon
them by the Board of Police to aid in suppressing riot, tumult, or
disturbance of the public peace.

The Police force covering Tompkins Square were distributed as
follows:

Mounted Squad and mounted Patrolmen from up-town precincts, under
Sergeant Revell, at the Eighteenth Ward market, foot of West
Seventeenth Street; three hundred Patrolmen at the Seventeenth
Precinct Station House, Fifth Street and First Avenue, under command
of Inspector Murray; two hundred Patrolmen at the Eighteenth Precinct
State House, Twenty-second Street, between Fist and Second avenues,
under Inspector Thorne; one hundred and sixty men at the Eleventh
Precinct Station House, sheriff and Houston Streets, under Captain
Allaire; and one hundred men in reserve at Police Headquarters, under
Captain Hedden and Gunner. Nearly every part of the city was covered
by the Central Office Detectives, who made regular reports. Trouble
being expected at the Thirtieth Street Depot of the Hudson river
Railroad, Captain Washington, of the Twentieth Precinct, had his
command strongly reinforced. The Western Steamboat Squad, under the
command of Sergeant Gastlin, guarded the property of the Pennsylvania
Railroad at Piers Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 38, and 39, North river; that of
the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, Pier No 26, North
River; that of the Starin Transportation Company, at Piers Nos. 14 and
15, North River, and the landings at the foot of West Twenty-second
Street and Twenty-ninth Street.

These preparations were too formidable for the men to cope with who
had called the Tompkins Square meeting. Strikers and rioters were
cowed, and the meeting broke up with no public disturbance of any
consequence. The turning point was safely passed and the demon of
discord was crushed. The public breathed more freely, and the press,
voicing public opinion, gave emphatic expression to this sentiment:

"The conduct both of the Police and of the citizen soldiery
was simply admirable."

Mayor Ely made charges for dereliction of duty against three Police
commissioners of this city, viz. Messrs. Erhardt, Nichols, and
Wheeler. The following letter to one of these commissioners embodies
the nature of these charges:

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

CITY HALL.

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 1877.

Joel B. Erhardt, Esq.,

Police Commissioner of the city of New York:

Sir: the management of the Police Department seems to call for
official action on my part. The duty of cleaning the streets, which is
devolved upon that Department, has been inefficiently performed. The
unclean and filthy condition of the streets during the present year
has not only been a public scandal and disgrace tot he city, but has
been recently reported by the Health Department as dangerous to the
public health, although the sum of sixty thousand dollars has been
taken each month from the public treasure for street cleaning
purposes; an amount in my judgment amply sufficient for the proper
performance of that work.

The Police Department has also assumed the right to decide when the
statutes of the State should be enforced, and when they should be
permitted to be ignored, and after allowing them to be disregarded for
considerable periods of time, has then enforced them capriciously and
by raids, in such manner as to render law odious instead of respected.

For this inefficiency and maladminstration of the Police
Department, you, as one of the Commissioners, are in my judgment
responsible.

You are hereby notified that I will give you an opportunity to be
heard in answer to the above charges on the twentieth day of December
instant, at twelve o'clock noon, at this office, then and there to
show cause, if any exist, why you should not be removed from office as
one of the Police Commissioners of the city of New York.

SMITH ELY, JR., Mayor.

To this, Mr. Erhardt made an order as follows:

CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, ss.:

Joel B. Erhardt, being sworn, says" that the charges herein
were served upon him late in the day on Tuesday, December 18,m 1877;
that they are so general in their nature, that it has been impossible
for him to properly prepare his defense in the time allowed in such
charges; that so far as said charges relate to street cleaning, it is,
as he is advised by his counsel and verily believes, necessary and
important that he should present evidence to show not only that all
moneys expended by the Police Department have been properly and
economically expended; that the streets have been as thoroughly
cleaned as the law, and the legal, and other instructions and
complications have permitted, and that the Police Department has not
been guilty of inefficiency or maladministration. But as deponent is
advised by his said counsel, it is furthermore important that he
should be prepared to show that he is not responsible for any
inefficiency or maladministration. That if a brief delayed is allowed,
deponent will be prepared with such proof. That the only reason for
desiring such delay is the physical impossibility, while, by attending
to the necessary duties of his office, and examining the witnesses, or
procuring their statements, and preparing the necessary statistics in
the brief time permitted, especially as the absence from the country
of one of the members of the Board has thrown increased labors upon
the remaining members. Deponent further says that the charge that the
right to decide when the statutes of the State should be enforced and
when they should be permitted to be ignored, has been assumed, and
that the laws have been enforced capriciously and by raids, is so
general in its nature, that, as he is advised by counsel and verily
believes to be true, it is important and necessary to be prepared to
show its falsity by evidence and statistics of the office during the
two years past; and that deponent has been unable to procure the
requisite statistics and proofs from the records in the brief period
allowed. Deponent further says, that the said charges are each and all
of them untrue, and that he has a good and substantial defense upon
the merits, after a full statement of the facts, as he is advised by
counsel and verily believed to be true.

JOEL B. ERHARDT.

Sworn to before me, this 20th day of December, 1877

[L. S.] EDMUND C. CLAY,Notary Public.

Sidney P. Nichols, for nearly two years previously chairman of the
Committee of the Police Department on Street Cleaning, in defending
himself against this charge of dereliction, testified that the
organization of the Street Cleaning bureau was made up as follows:

The person in charge was known as the Street Cleaning Inspector,
and by law was required to be a Police officer. He had charge of all
the operations of the Bureau, directed how and when the work should be
done, and was responsible to the Commissioners of Police for the
proper carrying out of the work of the Bureau. He was assigned by a
person known as the Deputy Inspector, who assisted him in carrying out
the orders of the Inspector, and had a general supervision of the work
of the Bureau.

The city was divided into Street Cleaning Districts, usually Wards,
of which one or more constituted a district, which was in charge of a
foreman, who had the immediate charge of the work in his district,
assisted by two or more gangmen, who were in direct charge of the
laborers and cartmen, of which there were employed constantly a
sufficient number to perform the work in each district. The gangmen
reported all matters to the foreman, and the foreman made a daily
report of all the men employed, the time each is entitled to, the
streets to be cleaned, and the number of loads of ashes, garbage, and
street sweepings gathered by the cartmen and delivered at the several
dumping boards upon scows or barges to be taken away to places of
deposit. There was one district made up of Broadway and the principal
avenues and streets that need cleaning oftener and at night, which
district was in charge of a foreman and gangmen, the same as the other
districts. The foremen directs what streets and avenues shall be
cleaned each working day, unless specially ordered by the Inspector to
clean certain street or parts of streets on specified days.

There was a person employed at each dumping board known as a Dump
Inspector, who had charge of all work and workmen at the dump, and
kept a tally of all loads delivered by the carts, specifying each
cartman by name and the number of loads each cartman delivered during
the day or night. These daily returns of the foreman and Dump
Inspectors were returned each day to the officer of the Street
Cleaning Bureau, and there compiled and preserved.

There was a person known as a superintendent of Scows, or Boats,
who had the immediate charge of all the floating property of the
Bureau, and directed (under orders from the Inspectors) where the
material shall be taken to be disposed of, and has charge of the force
employed indisposing of the same.

There was a person known as the Superintendent of Stables, who had
the immediate charge of the stables and repair shops. All horses,
carts, and machines owned by the bureau, except when at work in the
several districts, were in charge of a foreman. He had charge of and
kept the time of all laborers, mechanics, etc., employed in and about
the stables.

The Street Cleaning Department was created by statute in 1872. The
Board of Police were required to clean the streets, and to keep them
clean. In 1873 the amount of money expended was one million and
seventy-nine thousand dollars; in 1874, it was eight hundred and
twenty-nine thousand dollars; in 1875, eight hundred and one thousand
dollars, in 1876, it was seven hundred and twenty-six thousand
dollars, and in 1877 it was seven hundred and twenty-five thousand
dollars, or five hundred and ninety-two thousand dollars to November,
1, 1877; and for all four years three million four hundred and
fifty-four thousand dollars. The number of miles they cleaned in 1873
was eleven thousand; in 1874, twelve thousand; in 1875, it was nine
thousand, and in 1876, it was eleven thousand. In four years,
forty-six thousand three hundred and twenty-two. The loads of ashes,
garbage and dirt removed were as follows: In 1873, one million one
hundred and forty-seven thousand; in 1874, one million and thirty
thousand; in 18755, one million and thirty-one thousand; in 1876, one
million and eleven thousand; four million four hundred and twenty
thousand in four years. The total cost per mile in the first year was
ninety eight dollars; the second year, 1874, sixty-four dollars and
eighty cents; in 1875, it was eighty dollars and fifty-six cents, in
1876,m it was sixty-four dollars--making an average of seventy-six
dollars and eighty-two cents per mile in each year. the cost per load
of material--that is the only way it can be arranged--was, for the
year, ninety-seven cents; second year, eighty cents; third,
seventy-seven cents; and for the fourth year, seventy-one cents;
making an average of eighty-three cents for our years; and in 1877 it
has been seventy-two cents. A million of loads and more was the
product; two hundred and fifty miles of streets to be cleaned, and
three hundred miles and over to be traversed every day for the purpose
of collecting ashes, garbage and street dirt. The material so
collected had the relation of about sixty-five to seventy per cent of
ashes; of about--a large allowance--ten per cent garbage, and the
remainder street sweepings as it was collected.

The manual at present in use in the Police Department was
promulgated in 1877. Amendments have been added thereto at several
subsequent periods. Some of the rules and regulations of the aforesaid
manual are appended in a condensed form. The following was the Board
of Police for 1877: William F. Smith, DeWitt C. Wheeler, Joel B.
Erhardt, and Sidney P. Nichols, Commissioners. Officers: William F.
Smith, President, DeWitt C. Wheeler, Treasurer.

The "Police Department" of the city of New York consists
of a "Board of Police" composed of four
"Commissioners" (appointed by the Mayor, by "and with
consent of the Board of Aldermen) and the "Police Force" and
officers appointed by said Board. The Board is the head of the Police
Department; governs and controls the department, its business and
affairs; is invested with the exercises all the powers conferred by
law upon the Police Department. The territorial jurisdiction and
authority of the Board, and the Police Force under their direction,
are co-extensive with the territorial limits of the city of New York.
For the purposes of Police government, the territory of the city of
New York is divided into Inspection Districts, Surgeons Districts, and
Precincts, subject to alteration, from time to time, by the Board of
Police. Precincts are divided into patrol beats or posts by the
Captains, with the approval of the Superintendent, subject to
alteration, from time to time, by like authority.

The territory of the city of New York was divided into four
Inspection Districts, which are respectively named the First, Second,
Third, and fourth Inspection Districts.

First District consist of Precincts Nos. 1, 4, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14,
17, 18, 21, 26 and First and Third District Court Squads.

Second district consists of Precincts Nos. 5, 8, 9, 15, 16, 20, 25,
27, 29, and Second District Court Squads.

Third District consists of Precincts Nos. 12, 19, 19 Sub., 23, 34,
and Fourth, Fifth and Sixth District Court Squads.

Fourth District consists of Precincts Nos. 22, 30, 31, 32, and 35.

An Inspector of Police is assigned to each district, and has an
office within the limits of his district, or at such places as the
Board of Police may determine.

The Superintendent, unless otherwise ordered by the Board of
Police, assigns one Inspector, in rotation, to attend to the night
duty, and one to the duty pertaining to the Central Department, on
Sunday.

Night duty commences at 6 P. M., and terminates at 8 A. M.

Sunday duty begins at 8 A. M. and end at 6 P. M.

The Police force of the city of New York consists of a
Superintendent, four Inspectors, Surgeons, Captains, Sergeants,
Patrolmen, and Doormen, clerks, and employees, to the number of each
rank, authorized by law.

The Police force is divided into as may companies as there are
precincts, and such other companies and squads as the Board of Police
may order.

The regulation uniform is:

For the Superintendent.-- For the Superintendent.--The dress was a
double-breasted frock coat; the waist extending to the top of the hip,
and the skirt with one inch of the bend of the knee; two rows of
Police buttons on the breast, eight on each row, placed in pairs, the
distance between each row, five and one-half inches on the top, and
three and one-half inches at the bottom; stand-up collar, rising no
higher than to permit the chin freely to turnover it, to hook in front
at the bottom; cuffs, three and one-half inches deep, and buttoning
with three small buttons at the under-seam; two buttons on the hips,
one button on the bottom of each skirt-pocket welt, and two buttons
intermediate, so that there were six button on the back; collars and
cuffs of dark blue velvet; lining of the coat, black. The trousers
plain; black neck cloth; white gloves and collar; the vest
single-breasted, with eight buttons placed at equal distances; the cap
of navy blue cloth, and of the form of the pattern in the
Superintendent's office, having a bank of dark blue velvet, with a
gold embroidered wreath in front embracing a silver star.

For Inspectors.-- For Inspectors.--the dress the same as for
Superintendent, except that there were seven buttons in each row on
the breast of the coat, placed at equal distances, and the gold wreath
on the cap enclosed the word "Inspector" in silver.

For Captains and Sergeants.-- For Captains and Sergeants.--The same
as for Superintendent, except that there were eight buttons in each
row on the breast of the coat, placed at equal distances; the collar
rolling; the collar and cuffs of the same color and material as the
coat; the band of the same color and material as the body of the cap,
welted at the edges, and the wreath enclosing the work
"Captain" or "Sergeant," with the number of the
precinct to which the officer was attached, in gold. The Captain of
the Harbor Police had a gold anchor, and the Sergeants silver anchors,
enclosed in a wreath in lieu of the number of the precinct.

For Patrolmen.-- For Patrolmen.--the dress was a single-breasted
frock coat with rolling collar; the waist extending to the top of the
hip, and the skirt to within one inch of the bend of the knee; nine
buttons on the breast, two buttons on the hips, two buttons on the
bottom of each pocket, and three small buttons on the under seam of
the cuffs. Trousers having a while welt in the outer seam; white shirt
collar, and white gloves; black neckcloth; vest, single-breasted, with
nine buttons placed at equal distances. The cap of navy blue cloth, to
correspond with sample in the office of the Superintendent, with
wreath surrounding the appropriate number in white metal.

The Patrolmen detailed as Roundsmen, in addition had the word
"Roundsman" in white metal letters, in lieu of the wreath.

Roundsmen wear on each arm of the overcoat, dress coat, and blouse,
a United States Infantry chevron of two stripes, above the point of
the elbow.

The officers of the force rank in the following order: First,
Superintendent; second, Inspector; third Captain; fourth, Sergeant;
fifth, Roundsmen.

Mounted Roundsmen wore, as above mentioned, the United States
cavalry chevron.

For harbor Patrolmen.--The dress is a sailor's jacket, rolling
collar, to come down half way between the hip joint and knee; five
buttons on each side of breast, two buttons on the under seam of the
cuff; pockets inside; best, single-breasted, nine buttons; trousers,
plain; shirt of blue flannel, hat, same as other Patrolmen, with
wreath and number; pea-jacket overcoat, three inches above the knee,
five buttons on each side, side pockets with flaps; in other respects,
same as other Patrolmen.